Nationwide Day of Workers of Culture and Folk Art to be celebrated on November 9

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych has signed the Decree "On Additional Measures Regarding the State Support to Culture and Art of Ukraine", the President’s press office informs.

The Decree has been signed in order to further develop culture and art, ensure the implementation and protection of citizens' rights in the given sphere and provide conditions for human creativity.

Under the document, the Cabinet of Ministers has been instructed to approve the respective plan of actions for the medium term that will provide for the facilitation of creating qualitative national cultural product; the support to the activity of professional artistic groups, cultural and artistic educational institutions, museums, reserves, libraries, clubs and other cultural institutions, particularly in rural areas, including renovations to the premises of such institutions and modernization of their material and technical base; the further development of cinematography; the guarantees of affordability of cultural institutions' services for different population groups; the support to artistic projects of the creative youth; promoting the activities of national creative unions and public associations in the sphere of art and culture; the development of intercultural dialogue and popularization of Ukrainian culture abroad; the intensification of the activity on attracting investments in the sphere of culture; the application of the mechanism of state-private partnership; promoting the development of charity.

The Decree has also initiated holding the nationwide action on beautification of the territories of cultural heritage monuments on the Day of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

According to the Decree, 250 annual scholarships of the President of Ukraine for young writers and artists in the sphere of music, theatre, fine arts, choreography, cinema, variety and circus have been established.

The number of biennial and lifelong state scholarships for prominent figures of culture and art has been increased from 200 to 300. The number of lifelong state scholarships for Taras Shevchenko National Prize laureates will be increased from 20 to 50.

The Decree sets that the Nationwide Day of Workers of Culture and Folk Art will be celebrated annually on November 9 together with the Day of Ukrainian Literacy and Language.